Door dash, Grubhub, Uber Eats.

I’ve never used one. I don’t imagine they are cheap but I can also see a situation where you are being paid far more to work to get something done where it’s a benefit.

I know the menu prices are marked up in general. What else do they charge for the service?

I've heard it's fairly common for the drivers to sample the food.

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:

I've heard it's fairly common for the drivers to sample the food.

I always kinda wondered too. But screw this. The only time I ever got stuff delivered was pizza (and chinese a few times), and we quit that more than a decade ago.

I can't believe I would ever avail myself of any of these services.

here is a sample of my last orders:
steak joint- order 81.90, service 12, tax 7, tip 18, total 119.

wingstop-order 27,service 5, tax 3, tip 7, total 47

philly steak joint- order 22,service 4, tax 2, tip 6, total 35

bbq joint- order 29, service 5, tax 2, tip 7, total 43

steak joint- order 42, service 7, tax 3, tip 10, total 62

Being in the travel industry it's great. It allows me to get food from more places than the hotel restaurant and stuff in walking distance. I'm also lucky that my boss pays for all my meals so it's not costing me anything.

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:
I've heard it's fairly common for the drivers to sample the food.

I think this is an urban myth. EVERY ONE of my orders comes with the bag folded over and stapled, and usually with a restaurant sticker over the seam. The drinks have a restaurant sticker over the straw hole, and over the lid and cup. I have had no qualms about getting food, and average about 4-6 meals a week every week since 2020. I have never seen anything even attempting to sample food. It might happen, but it never crosses my mind, and I have never seen it in person.

My boss was so nice last year after I was hospitalized and was at home recovering used door dash to feed me and my Mother who was taking care of me for a whole week. Money was no object so we had various places I've been to that I liked, didn't go hog wild but ate real good.

You have to do your home work. Normally I'd rather get the food myself and save as much as possible or only use it if I have a coupon that usually makes it the same price to have it delivered.

Some places the food is the same price as if you go in yourself and order, or most places have a up-charge for the same order. Example a Japanese place around the corner where I live real good food run and owned by Japanese the Tonkatsu Donburi meal is $13.75 if you go in and delivery it's $18.75 , now they don't charge extra for the delivery itself but do charge a 6-8 dollar fee to pay the driver, plus it's not required but I throw in a few bucks for a tip.

So if I go in and get it to go $13.75 plus tax $1.27 = $15.02

Door Dash etc. $18.75 plus tax $1.73 , driver fee $6.00 , tip $3.00 = $29.48

Basically the prices doubles or I can just order by phone, drive less than 1 mile, and pick up in 20 minutes myself.


These delivery apps take a portion of the actual total of the order and the business makes up for it with more volume sales. While the driver relies on the convenience fee the customer pays and the opportunity for additional tips.

But be careful depending on how far the driver has to go from the restaurant to your home, plus how much the app says they will get plus tips your order may sit their until someone feels it's worth picking it up for you.

Sample and steal. Folks in their 90s, we sent them some Chick-fil-a cause they love it. DoorDash turd went to their door, took the required photo 'evidence' and left with the food. Ring camera caught him. Called CFA, they had driver bring out new food - and called DoorDash, they contacted the driver who miraculously found the half eaten meal and again, delivered it to my folks. Never again.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffxjet:
here is a sample of my last orders:
steak joint- order 81.90, service 12, tax 7, tip 18, total 119.

wingstop-order 27,service 5, tax 3, tip 7, total 47

philly steak joint- order 22,service 4, tax 2, tip 6, total 35

bbq joint- order 29, service 5, tax 2, tip 7, total 43

steak joint- order 42, service 7, tax 3, tip 10, total 62

So you're basically looking at a ~30-40% upcharge for the privilege of having it delivered. (And possibly sampled. )

Only makes sense in niche circumstances, like if someone else is paying, or you're housebound.

I did it once and after I thought about it, i'm either too cheap or the convenience is not worth it for me.

I’ll get my own carry out.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
So you're basically looking at a ~30-40% upcharge for the privilege of having it delivered. (And possibly sampled. )

Only makes sense in niche circumstances, like if someone else is paying, or you're housebound.

I agree... I wouldn't want to pay it...
but I'm glad people have that option if they need it.

The real downside is that there are people who really can't afford it and do it anyway.
I gave money to a person I knew who was destitute. Instead of walking... they used doordash. NO more money for that person!

It's like gambling, the people who can least afford it are hurt the most. Of course, that's human nature. You can't save people from themselves.

They charge the restaurant ~35% as well.

If you’re in an area where it’s available, and it’s a small enough place, it’s much easier to just have a bill texted or emailed to you, and then send it in a sealed container via uber package express.

The package service is usually about a third of what an Uber ride would be.

Teenager next door works a part-time shift at a local grocery store.

There is a McDonald's, about a three minute walk from the grocery, but she comes home and then orders McDonald's delivered by DoorDash.

Pricing varies from company to company and from day to day. Typically there's about 3 or 4 places for them to squeeze you, and they move pricing and fees around to incentivize orders.

1. Food cost. The prices charged for each menu item are going to be higher than menu prices at the restaurant.

2. Delivery fees. Vary from delivery service to service and restaurant to restaurant.

3. Service Fees. In addition to the delivery fee for some services, also varies from order to order.

4. Tip. These companies frequently only offer the drivers pennies per mile for deliveries and drivers are often completely reliant on tips to make any money at all. Don't tip well enough and your order just doesn't get delivered because it's not worth it for the drivers to pick up.

All of these costs can vary by the minute, but I usually figure I'm going to pay at least double what I would pay if I picked it up myself. Sometimes you can get good deals if they're trying to promote a place, but other than that you have to decide whether the extra fees are worth it to you. Most of the time they aren't for me, but occasionally it's nice if I'm tied up with something and can't get out.

Leo Getz sez, "Door Dash, Uber Ets etc., is when you pay extra to bring the Drive-Through to your back door."

"Always walk up to the counter..."

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
So you're basically looking at a ~30-40% upcharge for the privilege of having it delivered. (And possibly sampled. )

Only makes sense in niche circumstances, like if someone else is paying, or you're housebound.

The missing part of the costs:

If you do it once a week, a $9.99 monthly membership to Doordash pays for itself in reduced fees. My credit card company gave me a 1-year free Doordash membership.

Your up-charge costs are pretty close when comparing restaurants you don't tip. However, it's more comparable cost wise when comparing to restaurants you do tip. For example, 10 minutes away there is a sitdown restaurant (i.e. place I tip 20%) that's busy and loud, and my favorite menu item is $24 total (food, taxes, tip) vs $27 total (food, taxes, fees) to have delivered where I can eat in peace and quiet. Peace and quiet is worth $3 to me, and it's something I wouldn't cook for myself.

I've never had my food sampled in my 18 months of having a Doordash membership. Most bags are sealed shut with a sticker or three (i.e. a tattle tale) at the restaurant before driver picks up.

My favorite use case. I was out of town all week, don't have groceries/leftovers in the house, and I despise frozen microwave meals. It's Texas so I'm mowing the lawn and tending the garden 10 months a year, and due to being gone all week my outdoor to do list is a mile long. I wake up Saturday morning and my breakfast is a protein bar and coffee. I begin working outdoors before heat index gets insane. Lunch time arrives, I'm dirty and sweaty, and I don't want another protein bar for lunch. I can order Doordash and work right up until they arrive which is much more productive than cleaning up and the round trip driving time to get something probably not as good (e.g. Subway nearby isn't as good as the Jersey's Mike's I'd get from Doordash). I get back to work, wrap up before it gets too hot, grab a shower, and head to the grocery store. If I had went to the grocery store after breakfast, I'd be working outdoors at peak heat time instead of in the air conditioned grocery store at peak heat time.

My efficiency incentive is that if I get everything done on Saturday then I have time for a motorcycle ride before church on Sunday.

---

Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:


The real downside is that there are people who really can't afford it and do it anyway.
I gave money to a person I knew who was destitute. Instead of walking... they used doordash. NO more money for that person!

That is so rich. Unless maybe they didn't have gas money either?

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
[The missing part of the costs:

If you do it once a week, a $9.99 monthly membership to Doordash pays for itself in reduced fees. My credit card company gave me a 1-year free Doordash membership.

Your up-charge costs are pretty close when comparing restaurants you don't tip. However, it's more comparable cost wise when comparing to restaurants you do tip. For example, 10 minutes away there is a sitdown restaurant (i.e. place I tip 20%) that's busy and loud, and my favorite menu item is $24 total (food, taxes, tip) vs $27 total (food, taxes, fees) to have delivered where I can eat in peace and quiet. Peace and quiet is worth $3 to me, and it's something I wouldn't cook for myself.

I've never had my food sampled in my 18 months of having a Doordash membership. Most bags are sealed shut with a sticker or three (i.e. a tattle tale) at the restaurant before driver picks up.

My favorite use case. I was out of town all week, don't have groceries/leftovers in the house, and I despise frozen microwave meals. It's Texas so I'm mowing the lawn and tending the garden 10 months a year, and due to being gone all week my outdoor to do list is a mile long. I wake up Saturday morning and my breakfast is a protein bar and coffee. I begin working outdoors before heat index gets insane. Lunch time arrives, I'm dirty and sweaty, and I don't want another protein bar for lunch. I can order Doordash and work right up until they arrive which is much more productive than cleaning up and the round trip driving time to get something probably not as good (e.g. Subway nearby isn't as good as the Jersey's Mike's I'd get from Doordash). I get back to work, wrap up before it gets too hot, grab a shower, and head to the grocery store. If I had went to the grocery store after breakfast, I'd be working outdoors at peak heat time instead of in the air conditioned grocery store at peak heat time.

My efficiency incentive is that if I get everything done on Saturday then I have time for a motorcycle ride before church on Sunday.

I'm honestly just asking: so you don't give a tip to the restaurant workers, just the door dash fee? And you also don't tip the door dash driver?

I've never used those delivery services other than in-house pizza delivery and that was a long time ago.

My peeve with the modern food delivery services vs. the traditional ones performed by the restaurant is that the food invariably arrives cold, or luke warm as best. Seems like there is little coordination with the restaurant to pick up in a timely manner, or, perhaps, the driver will wait on the pickup until he can deliver to multiple locations on the same trip.